POETRY:

by Janet Wentworth

brown spots

are these my mother’s hands

or really mine

as a child

I noticed little

dots

on my mother’s skin

mother died long ago

skier/tennis player/swimmer

arthritis did her in

it’s my turn

young/bronzed

summer skin

once glistening

like California gold

now

a calico coat

blended brown/white

it happens

under the sun

***

CATS

I HAVE A FRIEND

WHO HAS

TWO CATS

THEY RARELY PROWL

I PREFER

A GOOD GROWL

THEIR HAIR IS SOFT 

AND IT IS COZY

WHEN THEY PURR

THEY ARE NOT 

SO NOSEY

AS A DOG

AND KEEP THEIR

FACES VERY CLEAN

ALTHOUGH SOMETIMES

THEY CAN SCRATCH

AND BE MEAN

THEY CAN ALWAYS

BE LEFT ALONE

IN YOUR HOUSE

AND

YOU NEVER HAVE

TO WORRY

ABOUT A MOUSE

SO IT IS NOT 

THAT I DON’T LIKE CATS

I JUST LIKE DOGS

A LITTLE BETTER

****